February 20, 2011

At yesterday's protest, some people did their own thing. Here's a friendly gentleman in a "PEACE" hat, with a framed picture of John Lennon, a scattering of sayings, a small "Recall Gov. Scott Walker" sticker, and a lot of postage stamps. The stamps, he told me, were his contribution to the government.

Top left: Corrugated cardboard signs, readable in the super-enlargement. Why do people do signs on sorry-ass broken-open cardboard boxes?

Top right: The lined-up police who were keeping the pro- and anti-Scott Walker people apart. I suspected that there was an official police policy to keep the Tea Party crowd from getting big. We were forced to enter the Tea Party group at corner of the block and blocked from walking across the lawn. I expressed my theory to a woman standing next to me, and she said: What do you expect? Whose side do you think the police are on? Meaning: They're all public service employees too.

I said that I wanted to get over to the Tea Party group and complained about the difficulty of getting through the crowd to the entrance point at the corner. Her attitude toward me suddenly changed. She snapped: "You're a Republican?" Pussy that I am, I said: "I just want to get into the Tea Party group." Actually, I'm not a Republican, but I backed away from the challenge so reflexively — a habit of 25 years in Madison — that my conscious rational processes never crystallized into the lucidity that would have produced a simple "no."

"My wife wondered just which way the cops were faced, toward or away from the Tea Party people. If toward then they were afraid that the Tea Party "vicious thugs" would start something, right?"

They were faced away. They were either protecting the smaller group from the larger, much more well-established crowd or creating a place for the new group to form and be separate from the old group by preventing general flow through the area. You could enter the Tea Party area, but only at the corner.

I don't think anyone is worried about anything getting started. You really wouldn't be able to determine it from AA's absurdly biased posts, but these protests are incredibly peaceful and, in all fairness, quite a bit of fun. I've talked to the Tea Party activists as well as the pro-unioners, and everyone has been incredibly friendly.

Regardless of the signs, many of which I'd classify as "extreme," people are having a blast. It's actually really great to be in Madison right now. And honestly, if you're having a hissy fit from the "Walker--can I modestly kick you in the nuts?" sign, come off your high horse. It's a funny sign, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who said it wasn't.

Actually, I'm not a Republican, but I backed away from the challenge so reflexively — a habit of 25 years in Madison — that my conscious rational processes never crystallized into the lucidity that would have produced a simple "no."

I tell you, I'm loving this new candor you're engaging in - a lot. No hiding, no diversions, just the straight skinny - the truth - served up fresh. It's also refreshing to read.

Whether you do right or wrong, telling the truth takes the sting out, allows for forgiveness and understanding, maintains truest (a biggie for me) and reminds us of our connection as fallible human beings worthy of respect. It's like a layer of protection against criticism (from me, anyway.) So you didn't say "no" when you should've? That's cool:

I understood that the Police Union came out for Walker in the election and has been exempted from the new law he is trying to pass (quid pro quo?).

Why wouldn't they be pro-Tea Party?

You understood incorrectly.

Out of 314 police and firefighter locals in Wisconin, only 4 supported Scott Walker.

And I can guarantee you that police and firefighters will be addressed in the future. It was tactically brilliant to exempt them for now given the protests that have occurred. But after the bill is passed (and it eventually will), Walker will have the necessary leverage to tackle the police/firefighter unions.

As a gen Xer I have to say that the Beatles are the most over rated cultural force in all of human history.

I came to that conclusion yesterday when hearing a Paul McCartney tune Maybe I'm Amazed and realized that he is a less-talented-than-John-Tesh pop musician who got lucky and played it safe. Paired with the self infatuated John Lennon, the pair ripped a scar on western culture that will require the passing of multiple generations of "can't think for themselves wannabes" to heal.

Been doin' too many bong hits but you want to sound profound and maybe get laid? Google "John Lennon quote" on your smartphone and, man, you are there.

Thought Experiment: Image the were no Beatles.

Refreshing, isn't it?

(sorry Ann - I know you like the Beatles, but how overplayed can the equivalent of the "Backstreet Boys drop acid" can a band be?)

You're right, I was wrong. No way to get around that fact--obviously, I should've looked deeper into the issue. Although, being originally from NJ, I still don't think the deficit is that bad (mainly because in NJ, ours was...well, way, way worse).

Regardless, it still doesn't change the fact that these protesters are peaceful...and that goes for all of them, Tea Party or Pro-Union. AA is an instigator--it's what she does (same with Meade). She goes up to people with the intention of inciting them, and it works. I've seen her try it in the classroom before, too, but she knows far too much about ConLaw for us to attempt to challenge her!

And you can be sure the cops are really pissed that they can't be out on the road shaking down Tea Partiers, issuing citations left and right, conducting random no-knock raids, terrorizing children and senior citizens, planting evidence and conspiring with equally corrupt prosecutors. And amoral, scumbag judges.

Lord, if you people only knew what goes on out here, out beyond the ivy walls and TV courts.

BTW, could the Southern states mandate that these folks must stop being lefties? If banning 'french fries,' in favor of 'freedom fries' made sense to Rs in congress, I think Rs in the South should make these folks reverse direction, so that they're righty turners.

But, this could overwhelm the drivers.

It'd be better to suspend the spectators on their heads so that, as they watch upside down, from their perspective the drivers would be turning right.

Actually, I'm not a Republican, but I backed away from the challenge so reflexively — a habit of 25 years in Madison — that my conscious rational processes never crystallized into the lucidity that would have produced a simple "no."

PB&J, The Beetles were standing on the shoulders of those who came before them. Those who came after were doing the same. I have the Beatles on my Ipod, but I don't have any illusions about them. Some of it is just fun music.